Toy balloon.



T. M. GREGORY.

TOY BALLOON.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, 1915.

1,169,804, v Patented Feb.1, 1916.

TI g. 1.

IN VEN TOR. WITNESSES T1705 MGYPEEOHYZ' W BY WM MW A TTORNE YS.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

THOMAS M. GREGORY, OF AKRON, OHIO.

TOY BALLOON. I

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

Application filed October 25, 1915. Serial No. 57,692.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS M. GREGORY, citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Balloons, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention pertains to an improve ment in inflatable toy balloons by which a child can easily and repeatedly insert a headed stem in the mouth of the balloon while it is inflated and remove the same at pleasure without deflating the balloon or disturbing the air therein and also deflate the balloon at will by the same stem, all substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an inflated balloon and a stem therein with the parts sectioned at the point of connection to show the construction thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the balloon alone, and Fig. 3 is a detail of the stem or reed with a head especially adapted to engage in the mouth of the balloon. Fig. l is a transverse section of the stem, greatly enlarged.

As thus shown 7) represents the balloon as a whole, having a neck or mouth m more or less like this class of balloons generally. A rubber insert or tube 2 is cemented or vulcanized in said mouth and projects into theballoon and away from said mouth relatively as shown. The said tube is flat with sides naturally collapsed or closed as an original construction in or at the said mouth where it is incorporated with the wall thereof and adapted to blow througlrto inflate the balloon. This done the tube is self-closing in its inner half or portion and the sealing is instant and permanent as against possible escape of air from within the balloon through the tube, and especially when the air with which the balloon is inflated presses on the flat sides of the tube to aid in the closure thereof. In other words the said tube 2 acts as a self-closing valve and with the peculiar advantage for my present valve or valve portion thereof so far 1nward away from the mouth of the tube that I can insert a supporting medium with a head thereon and withdraw it repeatedly without interfering in any manner with the air in the balloon. The advantage of this play in a childs toy will be apparent, and

but round and open use of locating the,

it is rendered easy and safe by reason, chiefly, of having the valve closure 3 of said tube 2 totally removed from the mouth of the balloon in which the said stem is engaged. The said mouth of course is distensible, and the stem or reed d has a tapered cork or equivalent head 5 glued or otherwise secured on its end and of a size to engage closely in said mouth. The length of said head corresponds somewhat with the depth of said mouth, and the mouth has a bead 7 about the same which is adapted to contract and engage more or less over the shoulder or end of the said head as seen in Fig. 1. However, the cork will hold if it be not inserted the full depth and the sides thereof are straight rather than round so as to insure holding the balloon upright.

The stem l may be of any suitable material, but a piece of reed of suitable size is preferred because it is of light weight, cheap and sufliciently flexible to constitute an ideal support for an inflatable balloon of the typedescribed. Cork also is preferred for the head, which is shown as having the stem seated in a bore therein and secured by glue or a suitable cement. In point of fact when the balloon is inflated the tendency'is to draw the mouth inward but it always remains available outside to be gripped by the fingers and open enough to insert the head 5 therein. It will also be noticed that with a tubular valve totally removed within the balloon as shown and with ample mouth room outside thereof to inclose the head 5 a perfectly safe construction is provided for inserting and removing the said head and stem as often as a child may be inclined to do and not even endanger the air within. An incidental advantage and value of an upright support for a balloon of this kind is the display of advertisements printed upon latitudinal lines thereon, assuming that the mouth represents one of the poles of the sphere, and in fact this is much the larger commercial value, as has been discovered as such printing cannot be read easily when the'balloon is sustained in any other way, especially when it is caused to float on its side. A valved balloon is attractive to chil dren as it can be inflated and deflated at pleasure, and the stem which I prefer to use allows repeated attachment and detachment of the balloon and the deflation thereof. That is, the balloon is easily inflated and aflixed to the headed stem and also as readily deflated if the desire of the child leads to that end, deflation being accomplished by inserting the handle end of the stem into the mouth or neck of the balloon and into the valve tube to spread it open. The stem shown represents a reed which is porous longitudinally and having its surface also corrugated longitudinally, thereby permitting the escape of air when this end of the creed is entered within the valve. A porous material with a corrugated surface also contributes greatly to the lightness of the stem, and to its flexibility. So far as I know, therefore, I am first and original in producing a toy balloon with a carrying member constructed and embodying the features described and adapted to be inserted in the mouth of the balloon and withdrawn again and again without in any wise jeopardizing the air in the balloon or possibly disturbing its valve or closure, except as said member is reversed and used with the deliberate intent of deflating the balloon for pleasure, or when it is to be laid aside for future use and play.

What I claim is:

1. A toy balloon having an extended neck provided with a valve interiorly thereof, in combination with a carryingmember hav ing a head engaged in said neck outside of and apart from the said valve.

2. A toy balloon having an open mouth and a passageway for air having a valved closure in its inner portion against the es cape of-air and a carrying stem having a. head engaged in said mouth outside of and apart from the said valved closure.

3. A toy balloon having a mouth on the outside thereof and a valve tube secured in isald mouth having its inner end pro ected into the balloon and having fiat self-sealing sides in combination with a stem provided with a tapered head engaged in the said mouth.

4. A toy balloon having a mouth and a self-sealing rubber tube provided with flat sides secured at one end in the wall ofs'aid mouth and its outer end projecting into the said balloon apart from said mouth, said mouth having abead about its edge, in combination with a stem having a head inserted in said mouth and engaged about its outer portion by said head. a

5. A device adapted to carry a toy balloon in an upright position comprising a stem having a head with a tapered side adapted to be inserted in the mouth of the balloon.

6. A carrier for a toy balloon consisting of a stem of relatively small diameter and a head of cork fixed on said stem.

7. A carrier for toy balloons comprising a flexible reed of light weight having a head of cork adapted to be inserted within the neck of the balloon.

8. A carrier for toy balloons comprising a flexible stem of porous material having a head thereon adapted to be inserted within the neckof the balloon.

9. A carrier for aninflatable toy balloon having a neck provided with a valve comprising a stem having a head at one end adapted to be inserted within the neck of the balloon and its opposite end corrugated to effect deflation of the balloon by engagement with said valve. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of one witness.

THOMAS M. GREGORY. lVitness:

Gno. E. Knronnn.

Gopiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 7 

